Monday, January 16, 2012

WHY DO CITIES ACT AS THEIR OWN LAWMAKERS AND DENY THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

COOK COUNTY, IL SANCTUARY POLICY “MAY BE ILLEGAL”

Common sense is all it takes to figure out that sanctuary policies in the United States violate federal immigration law and is therefore illegal, but the federal immigration chief is still teetering on making a decision after Cook County, Illinois’ sanctuary policy paved the way for a suspect in a deadly drunken driving crash to bond out and disappear. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton wrote in a Jan. 4 letter to County Board President Toni Preckwinkle that the sanctuary ordinance preventing law enforcement officers from participating in the mandatory Secure Communities federal program “may also violate federal law,” in addition to, “undermining local public safety.”

Cook County, Illinois, became the focus of national media after Saul Chavez, 36, was charged with a deadly hit-and-run and fled after his family scraped together the $25,000 of the $250,000 bond necessary for his release. Chavez hasn’t been seen since even though immigration officials issued a “detainer” for him asking that the county jail notify the agency when the suspect posted bond, so that agents could pick him up for possible deportation proceedings.